Device for manually propelling a body through the water.



APPLICATION FILED MAY13, 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914 COLUMBIA PLANQGRAI'H co.. \\AS|IINGTON. n. c.

tllll'lED STATES PATENT @FFlQE.

CYRIL HOPKINS WYGHE, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

DEVICE FOR MANUALLY PROPELLING A BODY THROUGH THE WATER.

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1 0 all Illl/HH, it may concern Be it known that I, CYRIL II. lVronn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Manually lropolling a Body Through the Water, of which the :l,ollowing is a specification.

An object of the invention is to provide a device tor manually propelling a body through the water.

The invention embodies, among other features, a device which can be used by a person in swimming to aid in propelling hi1nsel't through the water but can also be used in the same manner as an ear for the purpose oi propelling a boat through the water.

In the :turther disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters at relerence denote corresponding parts in all the vie and in which:

igure l is a perspective view 01 one form of my device, showing the same in open position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in closed position; Fig. 3 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the line in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my device when used as an ear for rowing; and Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the oar in position for rowing.

Referring more particularly to the views, I provide a stem 10 on which a plurality of semi-circular paddle members 11 are mounted to swing, the said paddle members being adapted to swing in opposite directions and arranged on the stem 10 so that they can be either swung into closed p0si- 'tion as shown in Fig. 2 so that the paddles will lie in parallel relation, or into open position so that they will lie in the same plane and operate like a circular body. The ends of the stem 10 project beyond hinges 12, by

F means oi which the paddle members 11 are mounted to swing on the stem 10, and a handle 13 has connection with the projecting ends of the stem so that the handle'will lie between the paddle members 11. Now it will be apparent that when a swimmer grasps the handle 13 and moves the device forwardly in the water, the paddle members will assume a closed position, Whereas when he pulls rearwardly on the handle the paddles will be swung into open position Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 13, 1913.

llatented Mar. 10, 191st.

Serial No. 767,469.

and will aid in pushing the body of the person forwardly in the water.

The outer curved ends of the semi-circular paddle mcn'ibers 11 are preferably [hired in opposite directions, as shown, so that when the paddle members are in closed position, owing to the forward movement thereof in the water, and are moved rearwardly, the water, rushing in between the flared portions of the paddle members, will tend to throw the same outwardly into open position very quickly so that the paddle members will take immediate ellcct upon the water, thus resulting in the body of the person being forced ahead and propelled through the water at each stroke of the device.

l n Figs. 4 and 5 I show my device used as an oar and in which instance the handle 13 is dispensed with and one end of the stem is continued and terminates in a handle 14:. A plurality oi. spaced rings 1:) encircle the stem 10 and between these rings there is adapted to be received the usual rowlock 16 mounted to turn on a semi-circular plate 17 having the ends thereof secured to a boat or the like and including two reinforcing members 18 secured to the boat and projecting to the point oi. connection of the rowlock 16 with the plate 17.

It will be apparent that the device shown :in Figs. 4t and 5 is used in the same manner as the device disclosed in the other views, and which has been described, and that in the instance where the device is used as an.

oar it is not necessary to remove the paddle members 11 from the water each time that a stroke is made, in that on the forward stroke of the handle of the oar the paddle members will be opened, whereas when the our is reversed and the handle end moved rearwardly without lifting the paddle end oi? the oar from the water the action of the water on the said paddle members will close the same, thus greatly reducing the energy required to return the oar into position for further propelling the boat through the water.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a device for propelling a body through the water, comprising a stem, a plurality of similar semi-circular paddle members having their curved edges flared in opposite directions In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 1n presence of two wltnesses.

CYRIL HOPKINS WYOHE.

and terminating at their inner straight edges in hinge members having swinging connection with the said stem, and a handle having its ends connected to projecting p0r tions of the stem and adapted to lie between WVitnesses: the paddle members when the same are fold- J. R. GOLDEN, ed relatively to the stem. J. J. MORAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

